New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-12
THE DRAMA-MUSIC.
MARGERYs LOVERS.

In the comedy OF "Margery's Lovers" written by MI
Brander Mathews-which produced yesterday after
noon at the Madison Square Theatre, and wLicn was
accepted, with every manifestation OF pleasure, by
numerous and remarkably brilliant audience-one OF the
salient declares that there nothing original
nowadays excepting SIM" This observation itself was
written many In ladys album. by the poet
Thomas Campbell It'll essentially true in its application
to much Of the literature Of the contemporary stage, and
some slight Illustration OF 1t Is afforded in Margerys
Lovers This is said in invidous spirit and with no
intention to detract from the conspicuous merit or the
comedy Old material is not nnwelcome when 1t Is used
I'm novel when 1t Is made tributary
/ 10 the production OF novel results Tho strong
situation that closes the second act OF TINS
pecethe ENHANCEMENT OF innocent and unsuspeous
gentleman, accomplished by card sharper ana proceu
through the adro use OF marked pack OF cards ana
through the treacherous collision OF willy confederate
has been used before in various works OF etion IL
may for example he found substantially In the prologue
the novel of 1.-THE Black Robe" by Wilkie Collins
There H. furthermore, admirable noveby Mrs Conyns
Carr In which the heroine Is the daughter OF swndng
gambler and In which her relations to several suors are
depicted with excellent skill and touching effect Mr.
Matthews has derived anything from these sources
but has simply taken material from what may be called
the common stock Of fiction and has wrought 1t into
comedy which Ia continuously interesting and at two or
three moments extremely powerful
The defects Of Nargerys Lovers are few, obvious and
easily indicated The flow OF movement In IL does not
begin early and Il not continued with invariably
-, -. ,,... 1. - ri. ,o,, o,a ,hon. .o,rlas M
DioAc" 'so'' i"o'o . " '' NV - -.
people appear for brief cooquies and disappear without
action. and the dio orue IA Tins made TO assume some
what serappy aspect There is little strainng of proba-
bllity The assumption that the vagabond father VINO
nnssonotev Ioyes hs daughter could remain utterly
II, =. -. - 49,. osoo.ions o,d ivroro,, a. IN Tho
phhu 10 the sta'e Vi her anec'i""', ""i is" ' " ~ ~
object on which they have centred, seems violent The
80, -, -. - -. o,,n,,od on orthIoss o,,id.noe
u'ch "ouiu "' o"'o VIC 'o ~ w ~ -.
by almost everybody Is Incredible. Inc expeulent
which heoins not thirdof making this dsgraced man
-, -, -, -.
tell MS loNealc at that tiihe anu unuer those circ'
stances the object of his passon-seems scarcely
cordant with nature or with the high ideal OF honor
ana delicacy OF when thls nero 10 Tue per
sonihcation and which Is implied throughout
tho comedv The Iast act Is little prox and IL would
- -, -, 81 -. o..,,,.o hin =. ;,a
seem 10 require ouon vi '"o"enti a"'o
opening and its close The pathOs or the final sttua
would he greatly heightened IT, while revealed TO the
audience the motive concealed from the persons In
the scene Tie fathers intention to leave his daughter
forever we'll knowing that this - the only in which
no can secure chance her ultimate happiness should
be ke 10 himse-and the spec in fron-under
assuni pon OF happiness
But Mr. Matthews has put this play together with
common has guided its action with
strength refined taste and frequent SPARKLE has drawn
its characters with discrimination and light touch. and
has presented one situation great dramatic value.
IIis heroine Naroery is una " ares the daughter OF a
gambler and this gambler has assisted another
rascal to ensnare her lover INTO position OF